Wednesday, August 12, 2020
Southpoint Sun - 3
Make way for firefighters if you see the green flashing light By Mark Ribble LEAMINGTON — If you’ve ever been driving down the street and suddenly see a flashing green light in the vehicle behind you, chances are it was a local firefighter trying to get to the station.
These signs are posted at all four major road entrances to the Leamington core, reminding motorists to pull over and let firefighters by. Sun photo
The question is — do you know what to do in that instance? Of course, the courteous thing to do would be to safely pull over so the firefighter can get to where they are going. The green light indicates that a firefighter is on their way to a fire call and time could be of the essence. Leamington Fire Chief Andrew Baird says it’s not the law, but he’d like to see more compliance. “As a courtesy, just let us get by,” he said. “We could be on the way to save someone you know, or even your family.” Leamington has 28 part-time firefighters on staff, of which there is a duty squad on each day, compiled of seven firefighters. If a fire call goes out, the firefighters have to leave their regular job or their home and get to the fire hall as quickly and safely as they can. If you are putting along in your 2011 Honda, they will need to get by you. Leamington averages 10-20 fire calls per week, that range from C02 alarms, to accidents to fully involved fires. At any time, a fire call could go out and possibly more than 20 firefighters will be trying to get to the firehall at the same time. This is where we, as drivers in the community, can help. If you see that flashing green light in someone’s windshield, take the time to safely pull over if you can. It may save someone’s life.
From left, councillors John Jacobs, Paul Tiessen and Mayor Hilda MacDonald flank the R-E-S-Q-TUBE with Pioneer Hybrid’s George Drummelsmith and Peter Neufeld, and Leamington’s Director of Community and Development Services, Paul Barnable. In front are Deputy Fire Chief Mike Ciacelli, fire Inspector Derrick Clark and Fire Chief Andrew Baird. Sun photo
Leamington Fire receives new equipment LEAMINGTON — Leamington Fire Services recently received a unique piece of rescue equipment called a R-ES-Q-TUBE. The tube, paid for through a grant supplied by Corteva Agriscience and the Canadian Agricultural Safety Association (CASA), was made available to two departments in each province this past week and Leamington was one of them. Leamington participated in CASA’s BeGrainSafe program last fall. The R-E-S-Q-TUBE is used in rescues on farms where a person gets caught inside a grain bin or trailer. It is accompanied by a pencil auger. Leamington fire had one such emergency last fall when a young girl fell into
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a wagon full of freshly harvested corn and quickly sank up to her neck. “You don’t realize how powerful grain is until you’ve been stuck in it,” said Leamington fire Chief Andrew Baird. “It’s like quicksand.” Pioneer Hybrid is the seed division of Corteva and they had two repesentatives on hand for the presentation. The tube disassembles into pieces and quickly re-assembles for ease of use. The idea behind it is that rescue crews can insert the tube over the spot where the person is stuck, which creates a barrier and keeps any further grain from caving in the on the person. The Haul-All pencil auger is then used to gradually suck out the grain and free the patient.
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